With reference to your recent hip replacement, you mentioned that your surgeon referenced your strength as a contributory factor for you being eligible for the surgery – can you tell us a bit more about that?
I was strength training with Body Mentors right up to the week before the op. Assessing my condition and seeing that I was fit and strong, the surgeon booked the replacement – for a Saturday.
In the week prior, the hospital intimated that the op shouldn’t go ahead – understandably concerned, no doubt, that having a 79-year-old on the table was too great a risk without the full backup team, which didn’t come in at weekends.
I’m assuming that the surgeon didn’t share this concern because the op went ahead as scheduled.
Did your mobility/strength contribute to a faster recovery than they would usually expect to see with an older patient?
Yes. I met with the hospital physio twice in the four weeks after the operation, and with the surgeon about five weeks after. Both said my recovery rate was due to my fitness leading up to the operation.
I came away from those meetings with the impression that I’d recovered faster than average. I’m responding to your questions weeks after those meetings, so my memory has had time to refine my recollection of what was said. “Exceptional recovery” probably weren’t the words the professionals actually used.
How soon were you able to get back to training?
A fraction over five weeks after the op, having met with the surgeon a final time, I was back in the gym with Jonathan and Will. Neither the surgeon nor the physio expressed any reservations over my returning to training.
Do you undertake any other types of fitness/strength training outside of Body Mentors?
No additional strength training. My time with Body Mentors in the gym provides all of that for me. I’m upping my walking distances and returning to high-intensity cardio training at home on my indoor rowing machine.
How has your mobility improved since working with a personal trainer?
I’ve complete freedom from a painful rotator cuff injury, recurrences of which had kept me from full use of the shoulder for months at a time. Johnathan’s treatment of the injury was my introduction to Body Mentors.
With the hip now fixed, I feel that my mobility is as good as it has been within a decade or two. And, with that hip working properly, Body Mentors now are tenderly directing my butt ever closer to the gym floor than it has ever been during barbell squats.
How long have you been training in the gym?
For 61 years, with some breaks, but not very long ones. With Body Mentors since September 2019, continuously. By Zoom during lockdown.
It looks like you’ve had some incredible results with Body Mentors. Do you think you would have reached similar levels of strength without Body Mentors?
No. Definitely not. If I’d been able to achieve such results, then, surely, under decades of my own tutelage I’d have achieved such levels long before now.
And, finally, if you could share one piece of advice for someone considering starting strength training, what would it be?
Make strength training one of your life’s devotions – you deserve to experience the rewards – and do it with Jonathan, Will, Alice and Milo at Body Mentors.
David’s progress since 2019 has been nothing short of remarkable. At 79, he’s defying age norms and showcasing that strength training knows no age. Witnessing his dedication to his training has been inspiring, and it’s a testament to what can be achieved with consistent effort and a positive mindset.
Will Gorringe, Personal Trainer, Body Mentors
As his Personal Trainer, I’ve had the privilege of guiding him through the post-surgery phase after his hip replacement. David’s commitment to his training pre-operation has facilitated an outstanding recovery (back to weightlifting 6 weeks after surgery). His resilience and hard work have not only accelerated his rehabilitation but also shed a light on what’s possible to achieve through simple progressive strength training at any age.
David’s story has recently been featured on Inside Kent, and Kent Sports News:
Inside Kent Magazine – How Personal Training Supported Hip Replacement Surgery
Kent Sports News – Back To Training In No Time
